Lost and Found
by Chrysalis
Summary: A strange girl from the Digital World gives Matt the strength to go back, and then wins the hearts of all the digidestined. But someone else is watching her...who will protect her once she goes to the real world?
1. Prologue/Chapter One

Chapter 1

> > > > Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or anything associated with it. That honor belongs to Toei Animation, Saban, and Fox. I'm just a fan who needs an outlet, so please don't sue me. 
>>>> 
>>>> Author's Note: (4-16-01) "Lost and Found" was my very first Digimon fanfic, and the only fanfic that I've ever completed to date. So this one is my very favorite. Don't judge me too harshly for my made-up character, I only want her to be a **part **of the action in the future, not the entire focus. I just needed a girl to relate to. Looking forward to any comments anyone might have about my story. Thanks so much for reading! -- Chrys 
>>>> 
>>>> Prologue: 
>>>> 
>>>> Machinedramon stomed up to the house with a booming laugh that shook everything in the house. Gennai jumped up out of his seat. Waddling to the door of the room, he called out into the hall.   
"It's time! You have to go! Now!"   
A wide-eyed girl came flying out of another room, stumbling as the house shook beneath her feet.   
"Now?" she asked in fright.   
"Yes, now," Gennai answered. "You remember what I told you?"   
The girl nodded silently.   
"Good, then get out of here while you still can!"   
The girl stopped to give Gennai a kiss on the top of his bald head, then took off running, getting out of the house and running as quickly as she could to get away. She turned around, just in time to see the house explode.   
"No!" she cried.   
Then she noticed a figure sneaking away, unnoticed by the giant Digimon that was destroying the house. It was Gennai, escaping in the other direction. Going over Gennai's instructions in her mind, the girl set off in the direction she had started.   
She whispered to herself. "I only hope I can find them..."
>>>> 
>>>> End Prologue
>>>> 
>>>> ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
>>>> 
>>>> Note: This takes place during the time that Matt is separated from the rest of the Digidestined. 
>>>> 
>>>> **Lost and Found -- **by Chrysalis Raina   
Chapter One: 
>>>> 
>>>> Matt walked among the trees, carrying Tsunomon with him. He wasn't going anywhere particular, only trying to put distance between himself and the others. After awhile, he stops and looks over his shoulder, back at the way he came.   
"I do have to be alone..." he thought to himself. "Don't I?"   
Shaking his head, he kept on walking until he reached a small stream. "Let's stop here and rest for awhile, Tsunomon," he suggested.   
The little Digimon murmured his assent, so the pair stopped and sat down by the water. Apprehensive, but determined, Matt stuck his head out over the water and made himself peer into the water's surface. To his relief, all he saw was his own reflection.   
All was silent for a few moments, but then a rustling sound came from a nearby patch of tall grass. Matt and Tsunomon both jerked up. Tsunomon reflexively digivolved to Gabumon, who bounded off to investigate. He was out of sight for a tense moment.   
"There's someone in here!" Gabumon finally called back. "She's asleep!"   
Matt rushed headlong into the grass to see what in the world Gabumon could be talking about. As he stumbled toward the voice of his partner, he heard a high, frightened scream. Pushing his way into the little clearing where Gabumon stood, he arrived just in time to see a human girl with her back to him scrambling up off the ground.   
Without thinking, Matt shot out his hand and grabbed the girl by the wrist, dropping down to one knee when she jerked back and fell back on her butt.   
"Wait!" he said.   
The girl turned around, wide-eyed -- first in fear and then in surprise. Matt found himself staring into a pair of navy blue eyes surrounded by a pretty face, and a halo of reddish-blonde hair. For a moment, they just stared at each other in utter silence.   
"Umm...Matt?" Gabumon broke into the quiet.   
Matt jerked his head and turned to look at his friend. "Yeah, Gabumon?"   
"What's going on here? Do you know her?" Gabumon asked.   
"No," Matt shook his head.   
"You're one of the Digidestined, aren't you?" the girl asked quietly.   
Matt's free hand immediately went up to his chest, where his crest and tag hung. Was he a Digidestined anymore? He didn't know. But if it mattered to the girl, maybe he could help her.   
"Yes," he admitted. "My name's Matt, and the funny-looking thing that scared you is my partner, Gabumon."   
"Pleased to make your acquaintance," Gabumon said. "I hope I didn't scare you too much."   
"That's all right," she smiled, relaxing a little. "I'm Annira. Anni for short."   
"How did you get to the Digiworld?" Matt asked her.   
Anni's wrinkled her forehead, perplexed. "How did I get here? I've always been here."   
"What?" Matt and Gabumon said together.   
"Well, my father Gennai says that he's never found out exactly where I came from, but as far back as I can remember, I've always been here."   
"Gennai?" Matt wondered. "He never mentioned having a daughter."   
"Well, Dad is a little scatterbrained," Anni laughed.   
"That's the truth," Gabumon added.   
"But what are you doing out here in the middle of nowhere?" Matt asked.   
Anni's eyes clouded over. "Hiding from the Dark Masters," she said quietly. "You see, Machinedramon destroyed our home, and Dad and I had to split up. I was supposed to find the Digidestined, but instead I found Puppetmon. He thought that Gennai's daughter would make a good playmate."   
Matt nodded, remembering what his brother had gone through with Puppetmon.   
"But I got away. And I've been hiding ever since." 
>>>> 
>>>> Later that night, Matt, Gabumon sat in the dark, exchanging their stories.   
"...and that's when we split off, Gabumon and me," Matt finished. He stared off into the distance. He kinda missed them all. But he sure couldn't stay with them... Everything was all wrong.   
Anni reached out and touched Matt on the arm. "I think I understand. You're on a kind of Walkabout, aren't you? The kind where you have to walk until you meet yourself?" She smiled. "And then the both of you sit down and have a long talk, get things sorted out, then you go home."   
Matt looked up in surprise. That was it. Exactly. He hadn't even gotten the idea really sorted out in his own head, what he was doing. But here Anni had taken what was in his heart and put it into words. He opened his mouth to reply, but Anni yawned before he could say anything.   
"You'd better get some sleep," Matt finally said. "I'll sit up for awhile and keep watch."   
Anni curled up on the ground. "Wake me up later, and I'll take a turn at the watch," she requested sleepily, hardly finishing the sentence before she nodded off.   
The world was silent, except for the light sound of Gabumon snoring. Matt absentmindedly took his tag and crest out from under his shirt. He was shocked when he saw it emitting a faint blue glow in the darkness.   
"It's glowing!" he whispered to himself. "But how?" And then it came to him. "Anni....she listened. She really listened to me..." 
>>>> 
>>>> "So where are you going to go now?" Matt asked Anni the next morning.   
"I don't know," she replied. "Somewhere. Anywhere."   
"You can't hide from the Dark Masters forever," Gabumon said wisely.   
"I know, but I don't know what else to do..."   
"Why don't you come with us?" Matt suggested.   
"What?" Anni cocked her head.   
"You'll be safe with me," Matt promised. "The Dark Masters are going to be defeated, someday soon. Until then..."   
"We can be a team," Gabumon finished, obviously glad to see Matt associating with another human being again.   
"All right," Anni agreed. 
>>>> 
>>>> So the three of them went on together, following the stream. And everything was going smoothly until they heard a voice in a tree behind them.   
"Hey Annie May, didn't anyone ever tell you it's not nice to run away from your friends?"   
Anni froze for a second, then spun around to face Puppetmon.   
"I am not your friend!!!" she spat.   
"Sure you are, Annie May!" Puppetmon persisted. "You're my special friend, and it's time to get back to our game!"   
"Didn't you hear me?" Anni shouted back. "I'm not your friend, and I don't want to play!"   
"Ohhhh!" Puppetmon said. " I see! You'd rather play with that boy and his dog over there...Well, I've played with him before, and he's no fun!" The evil Digimon dropped down from his perch and stood in front of Matt and Gabumon and Anni. "But if that's really how it's gonna be, then I'll just destroy you all and get a special bargain -- one pesky girl, one digidestined brat, and a funny looking dog. Three for the price of one!" He ran up to Anni, raising his hammer. "Puppet Pommel!" he announced.   
"No!!" Matt shouted. His crest glowed brightly as Gabumon warp-digivolved to MetalGarurumon right there on the spot.   
"Huh?" Puppetmon turned, hammer still in the air, to look at the new arrival. He turned his head just in time to see MetalGarurumon blast off a Metal Wolfclaw attack that knocked the hammer right out of his little wooden hands.   
"Ow!" Puppetmon screamed. "That hurt! You guys are no fun, I'm going home!" And with that, Puppetmon ran off, disappearing.   
As MetalGarurumon went back to being little Gabumon, Matt rushed over to Anni.   
"I'm all right!" she insisted. "Just a little shaken, is all."   
Matt helped her to her feet. She gave Matt a kiss on the cheek, and then bent down to kiss the top of Gabumon's furry head. Both boy and Digimon blushed.   
"Thank you," Anni said. "You saved my life. You were right when you said I couldn't hide from Puppetmon forever....and you were right when you said I'd be safe with you." 
>>>> 
>>>> Matt, Gabumon, and Anni wandered the forest for most of the day. Late afternoon rolled around. Noises they had supposed to be normal forest noises were starting to sound like the sounds of battle, and Matt was worried.   
"I think they're fighting Puppetmon!" he said.   
"Then you've got to help them, Matt," Anni said firmly.   
"But what about you?" Matt asked.   
"I'll be fine."   
"But..."   
Gabumon cut in. "She's right, Matt. They need our help!"   
"Go," Anni ordered with finality. 
>>>> 
>>>> And so, of course, Matt runs into the fray. And it is in the end, MetalGarurumon who deals Puppetmon the final blow. But Matt leaves again, this time going back to the place he left Anni. Finding no one there, he sadly wanders off, alone again. 
>>>> 
>>>> End Chapter One


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter 1

> > > > Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or anything associated with it. That honor belongs to Toei Animation, Saban, and Fox. I'm just a fan who needs an outlet, so please don't sue me. I'm just a poor college girl, you won't get much. 
>>>> 
>>>> Note: This one takes place about a day after Chapter One. And for clarification, this is after the big split, so there are three groups of Digidestined: Tai, Sora, Kari, T.K, and Izzy; Mimi and Joe; and Matt all by himself. 
>>>> 
>>>> Chapter Two: 
>>>> 
>>>> Izzy yawned and poked at the fire with a long stick. Izzy hated having the last watch. It meant being woken out of sound sleep and having to sit there pinching himself so he wouldn't go back there. He contemplated poking Tentomon, who was fast asleep beside him, and snoring loudly, but decided against it.   
He looked over at the others, sleeping away from the fire. Tai, Sora, Kari, T.K., Agumon, Biyomon, Gatomon, Patamon. They all were fast asleep. Izzy wished he could be asleep.   
The sound of a twig snapping roused him out of his sleepy stupor. He grabbed his fire-poking stick and jumped up. He spottrd a shadow behind a rock. "Who's out there?" he demanded. "You come out from behind that rock, or..."   
The shadow stood up from behind the rock. In the faint edge of the firelight, Izzy saw a girl, nearly as short as he was. "Oh, don't hurt me," she said. "I just saw your fire and..."   
Izzy dropped the stick. "Where did you come from?" he asked.   
The girl waved her hand absently. "Out there," she replied. She stopped, as though an idea had suddenly occured to her. "You're one of the digidestined, I just know it! What's your name?"   
"Why, I'm Izzy. Who told you about the digidestined?"   
"Well, Gennai of course."   
"How do you know Gennai?" Izzy asked her.   
"Well, he's my father," she answered.   
"Well, how can that be?" Izzy asked, perplexed.   
"It's a long story, and I don't want to bore you," she said.   
"I've got the rest of the night," Izzy stated, heading back toward the fire. "Come on over, sit down and tell me about it....um....what's your name?"   
"Annira," she said, stepping fully into the firelight.   
Izzy was a little awestruck by the sight of the girl up close. The light of the fire set off the red in her hair, and her blue eyes were almost black in the relative darkness. Izzy just stood there, gawking for a moment, before she went on.   
"But I hope you'll call me Anni."   
"Anni." Izzy repeated the name. "Anni. Tell me your story, Anni."   
"Well," Anni started. "I don't know where it is that I came from. No one knows. But somehow I wound up as a tiny baby in a Koromon Village. The poor Koromon tried their best, but they didn't know what to do with me.   
"Then one day, Gennai -- he was younger then -- came by and stopped in the village. They asked him to help them with the baby, because I sure wasn't happy, and I was screaming rather loudly. But when Gennai picked me up, I guess I stopped, and was quiet.   
"The Koromon convinced Gennai to take me home, since he was obviously so good with me. And so I went home with Gennai, and he raised me as his own daughter. He may be a little scatterbrained at times, but he's a great dad.   
"When Machinedramon destroyed our home, we had to split up. My instructions were to find the digidestined...and that's you.   
"The Dark Masters aren't too happy about having me running about. I've already run a stint as Puppetmon's playmate..."   
"Puppetmon has been destroyed," Izzy informed her.   
"Really? I'd hoped that was true. I mean, when I sent Matt to find you..."   
"You've seen Matt?" Izzy asked her.   
Anni nodded. "He saved me from Puppetmon once before...And when we heard the fighting... I told him to go and find you, to help you.   
"He did," Izzy sighed. "But then he left again."   
"I'd hoped he would stay," Anni said wistfully.   
"What about you, Anni?" Izzy asked her. "Are you going to stay?"   
Anni shook her head. "I'm not sure I can. I know I was supposed to find you, but I've been so much trouble already...No, I can't stay."   
"But..."   
"Don't argue with me, Izzy, I know what I'm talking about. You can't defeat the Dark Masters if you have to worry about extra baggage like me. I'm leaving and that," she yawned, "is that."   
"At least, finish out the night here. Get some sleep," Izzy coaxed her.   
"All right," Anni agreed, lying down on the ground and trying to get comfortable. 
>>>> 
>>>> Kari felt a stirring beside her and woke up. Gatomon had gotten up and wandered over to where Izzy and Tentomon were standing guard.   
"Relax, it's only me," she head the cat announce.   
Sufficiently awake now, Kari got up and followed Gatomon. "Gatomon, where did you go?" she asked.   
"I'm sorry, Kari," Gatomon said. "Did I wake you when I got up?"   
Kari didn't notice the figure lying on the other side of the fire until she stirred, opened her eyes, and sat up.   
"Hi!" Kari said, as friendly as ever.   
"Who's the girl?" Gatomon asked.   
"Izzy?" the girl asked shakily.   
"Anni, these are some of my friends. This is Kari Kamiya and her partner Gatomon. Guys, this is Anni. She's Gennai's daughter."   
"You're away from your family too?" Kari said sympathetically. "Do you miss your dad? I miss my mom and dad a lot." 
>>>> 
>>>> Kari curled up on the ground. Gatomon was asleep, and Tentomon was still snoring. Anni and Izzy were talking, so Kari just closed her eyes and listened to them talk.   
"Are you sure you won't stay?" Izzy asked for the fifteenth time.   
"I..." Anni started. "Look at you," she finally said. "You can barely keep your eyes open. Why don't you get some sleep. I'll keep watch, and I'll still be here in the morning."   
It got very quiet as Izzy fell asleep, and Anni remained awake, staring into the fire.   
Suddenly, Kari heard Anni gasp. Kari opened her eyes and saw Piedmon standing behind Anni with a hand over her mouth.   
"Not a word, or I'll kill them all where they sleep, is that understood?" the clown said.   
Kari snapped her eyes shut and listened.   
"Now listen up. You're ruining my little show here with the Digidestined. If you keep this up, they'll all get back together, and we simply can't have that, now can we?." He paused. "But how best to remove you from the picture? If you just disappear, the computer wizard would band the rest of them together to look for you."   
It was quiet for a moment, and then Piedmon snapped his fingers. "Of course. Now you listen to me. You're going to leave the boy a note. You had to leave. It's too dangerous...whatever. Just not a word of anyone making you leave. And then you are going to leave. And never come near these children again."   
"And why would I do that?" Anni's voice was quiet, but firm.   
"Because if you don't, I'm going to make you watch me destroy these digi-destined one by one, starting with him. And then the little girl over there...and you get the idea. The only reason I don't kill you now is because I don't want to attract any more attention from your father at this point in my little game. You should consider yourself lucky. But don't push that luck. I'm letting you go, but if I ever find you near the digidestined again, I'll make sure you watch me destroy everything you love before I give you your own painful death."   
And with that, he was gone.   
Kari opened her eyes and saw Anni kneeling down and carefully placing a piece of paper in Izzy's hand, carefully folding his fingers around it. Wiping the tears off her face with one hand, she reached out and brushed a few red hairs off Izzy's forehead, then bent down and kissed him once on the lips. The sleeping boy stirred, but didn't wake.   
"Anni?" Kari asked.   
"I'm sorry Kari," was all that Anni said, before turning her back on Kari and walking away. 
>>>> 
>>>> End Chapter Two


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter 1

> > > > Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or anything associated with it. That honor belongs to Toei Animation, Saban, and Fox. I'm just a fan who needs an outlet, so please don't sue me. 
>>>> 
>>>> Note: This takes place a good while after chapter 2, it's set after the final battle with Apocalymon. 
>>>> 
>>>> Chapter Three: 
>>>> 
>>>> Tai looked over at Sora and smiled. After everything they'd been through, the battle for the fate of both the worlds they loved was over. They were back in Primary Village in the middle of what T.K. called a "Digiegg Storm," even though the sun shone brightly overhead. His little sister had just hatched a sweet little Botamon. And Sora smiled back. Everything was right with the world...   
"Dad!" It was a voice Tai didn't recognize. He turned toward the sound. A bright-haired girl was running across the egg-laden field, coming toward them.   
Tai looked at Sora again, his brown eyes meeting hers in a look of shared confusion. Who was she? And who was she talking to?   
One of those questions was answered when the girl ran straight to Gennai and wrapped her arms around the machine that housed the old man.   
"Anni, my girl! You made it, I knew you would," Gennai proclaimed proudly.   
Tai looked around at the group. Sora, Mimi, Joe and T.K. all looked as confused as he felt. Matt and Izzy just looked surprised. And Kari--well nothing ever seemed to surprise his little sister, so it was little surprise that she took this new event completely in stride.   
"'Dad'?" Mimi asked, her forehead wrinkling under her pink cowboy hat.   
"Gennai has a...daughter?" Sora's voice was tinged with disbelief.   
"She's adopted," Izzy said matter-of-factly.   
Tai turned and looked at Izzy in suprise. "How do you know that?"   
"She told me."   
"So that means you've met her too, Izzy?" Matt asked.   
That gave Tai another start, but not as much as when Kari chimed in.   
"Me too!"   
"Kari?" Tai started to question his sister. But Joe burst in before he could ask a question.   
"But who is she?" he nearly exploded.   
"I already said that," Izzy explained. "She's Gennai's adopted daughter."   
"So let me get this straight," Tai said, putting up his hands. "Matt, you know this girl."   
Matt nodded. "Right, I met her while I was out on my own."   
"And Izzy, you know her," Tai continued.   
"She showed up at the campfire while I stood watch," Izzy replied.   
"And you know her Kari?" Tai looked questioningly at the younger girl.   
"Yep," Kari answered. "I came to Izzy's fire too."   
By this time, Tai saw that the girl--Anni, Tai was pretty sure he'd heard Gennai say--had finished greeting her father. Now she was coming over to see them.   
Anni hugged Kari as Matt and Izzy both clamored up to the girl with questions.   
"What happened?" Matt asked.   
"Where did you go?" Izzy inquired.   
"Why did you leave me?" they both said at once.   
"I'm getting confused," T.K. whined.   
"Hold it there, guys." Sensible Sora stepped in between the two anxious boys and the mystery girl. "I think that introductions are in order first."   

>>>> 
>>>> Could it really by time to go? Tai wondered. It always had seemed like they'd be in the Digiworld forever. And now they were leaving...   
Tai looked around. Mimi was still crying because Palmon was nowhere to be found. The others were doing their best to comfort her. Further off, Tai spotted the golden-haired mystery girl. He felt kind of bad for her. After all, she'd spent her whole life with only Gennai for (sort of) human company. Now, as soon as she'd met some people and made some friends, they all had to go away.   

>>>> 
>>>> When Tai stepped off the streetcar, he was home. Well, not exactly home... The car had landed in the same place they'd left from the last time.   
Tai spotted his parents just as Kari ran ahead of him, flying toward their mother.   
"Kari! Tai!" Mrs. Kamiya called out.   
"Mom! Dad!" Tai couldn't help but follow his sister's example and run for his parents.   
All around them were happy reunions. Even Matt and T.K.'s parents were getting along together. For the moment, they looked like one big happy family again.   
And then it really was time to go home. After many fervent promised to keep in touch, the eight kids parted ways once more, going home with their families.   
The Kamiyas had traveled all of a block toward home when Kari suddenly turned around.   
"We have to go back!" she insisted.   
"Go back?" Mrs. Kamiya was startled when her daughter dropped her hand and took off in the opposite direction.   
"Kari?" Tai followed close on her heels.   
As they reached their return point, Kari looked up. Tai followed her gaze. Up in the sky, the last crack of the portal to the Digiworld was closing. But there was something else up there too. It looked like...   
"A phone booth?" Tai puzzled.   
The boxy structure floated down from the sky and landed next to the streetcar. The door folded open and that strange girl stepped out.   
"Anni!" Kari was thrilled.   
"Kari, how...?" Tai stopped. He'd been going to ask Kari how she knew to come back. But then he realized that he was never going to understand how his sister knew the things she knew.   
"You came in a phone booth?" he asked Anni instead.   
Anni shrugged. "Dad was out of streetcars."   
Mr. and Mrs. Kamiya finally caught up with their kids. Kari immediately had an idea.   
"Mom, Dad, this is Anni, and she's from the Digital World," Kari said breathlessly. "Can she stay with us? I've always wanted a sister!"   
Mr. and Mrs. Kamiya turned to each other with wide eyes.   
"What should we make of this?" Mr. Kamiya asked.   
"You realize that we've seen stranger things recently," his wife replied.   
"But a girl from the their digital world...?" Mr. Kamiya trailed off.   
"It might be a good thing for Kari," Mrs. Kamiya reasoned. "And she and Tai did save the world, you know. I think we can deal with one of their friends."   
"You're right," Mr. Kamiya agreed. He turned back to his daughter. "She can stay with us, Kari....now what did you say your name was?"   
"Annira, Mr. Kamiya," Anni said shyly.   
"Do you have a last name?" he asked her.   
Anni bit her lip and furrowed her browm thinking about it. Finally, she shook her head. "I don't think so. If I did, I think Dad would have told me."   
"Well," Mrs. Kamiya smiled. "I guess for the time being, you're a Kamiya. Now let's go home."   

>>>> 
>>>> All too soon, it was time for school to start. Sora walked into her history class with a mix of frustration and anticipation. She'd really been hoping that Tai would call her before school started. She was a little upset that he hadn't.   
On the other hand, she thought, I still hope he's in this class. I do miss him...   
Just then, Tai walked in. Sora smiled. I'm glad he's here, she thought.   
At least she was glad until she saw that Tai was walking into the classroom with another girl. Sora's smile quickly faded. She tried to get a good look at the girl. But she'd turned and was whispering something to Tai, so her face was obscured by her cupped hand and the fall of her hair. Tai touched the girl on the shoulder and let her to a seat near his, a few rows behind Sora.   
So that's why he didn't call, Sora thought bitterly. Who is she, anyways?   
She turned around and finally got a good view of her. She's not that pretty, Sora thought desperately. But the reddish blonde hair and the dark blue eyes did make her quite a striking girl, if not "pretty." Sora stared jealously...   
...until the recognition finally set in. Wait a minute! she thought. Isn't that Hanna or Anna or whatever her name is, Gennai's daughter? She looked back again. I'm sure it is! What's she doing here? And what's she doing with Tai? 
>>>> 
>>>> Marc Immiri was in that class too. He leaned back in his chair staring at the ceiling until class started. The teacher started taking attendance.   
"Immiri, Marcus?"   
Marc rolled his eyes. "Marc," he insisted.   
"Of course," the teacher said. "Kamiya, Tai?"   
Marc rolled his eyes again. He thought Tai was such a loser. He'd heard rumors that Tai and his friends saved the world and he didn't believe a word of it.   
"Kamiya, Anni?"   
This made Marc sit straight up. He may not have liked Tai, but everyone knew Tai only had one sister, Kari. And that sure wasn't Kari.   
After class, he tried to approach Tai. "So, what street corner did you pick the new sister up on, Kamiya?"   
"None of your business," Tai pushed past him and went on his way.   
"He's hiding something," Marc muttered to himself. 
>>>> 
>>>> After school, Marc spotted the new Kamiya girl walking with Izzy Izumi. She sure can pick em, he thought to himself as he followed at a distance.   
After the stop at the apartment complex the Kamiya's lived in, Marc took a gamble and followed Izzy home, setting up station right outside Izzy's window. On the desk was a laptop and something that looked like a GigaPet. Izzy took that strange device and plugged it into his computer. On the screen appeard some strange looking creatures. One of them Marc had seen on TV!   
So maybe it's true, he thought. That whole fairy tale about another world. Maybe they are heroes....   
Right then, Izzy's mom called him in for supper, and that left a perfect "window of opportunity" for Marc. He carefully opened the window, and took the funny-looking device off Izzy's desk. Then suddenly remembering that he was late for his own dinner, he went back out the window and rushed away.   

>>>> 
>>>> The next day didn't find Sora in much of a better mood. Especially when she saw Tai and Anni walking to school together. Anni stopped by a tree to talk to Matt for a while and waved Tai on ahead. Good, Sora thought.   
She marched up to Tai. "You didn't tell me you had another sister, Tai."   
Tai made a face. "Well, yeah, um, I..."   
"Come to think of it," Sora crossed her arms. "You never called me at all."   
"Sora..." Tai started.   
"Oh save it Tai," Sora said, exasperated. "Here comes the pretty girl now, I'm sure you were much to busy spending quality time with your new 'sister' to even think about me." She turned to walk away.   
But Anni must have had an idea about what that exchange had been, because as she approached, she immediately grabbed Sora by the arm.   
"Wait," Anni insisted softly. She took Sora aside and whispered while Tai stood there shamefaced.   
"He sat by that phone six times a day, trying to get up the nerve to call you," Anni confessed, looking straight into Sora's eyes to convince the other girl of her honesty. "I'm there to be a big sister for Kari. That's it. He really does like you."   
Sora blushed slightly. "I just made a total idiot out of myself, didn't I?"   
"Just go talk to him," Anni urged. "I think he feels worse than you do." They both turned to look at Tai, who was practically kicking himself where he stood. 
>>>> 
>>>> Marc is sat on the couch looking at his mother, who was bent over him giving him yet another speech about being responsible and being on time and whatnot. Marc tuned her out and lost himself in his own thoughts. 
>>>> 
>>>> ...what if it's all real??...   
...what does that new girl have to do with it??...   
...what's this thing in my pocket??...   
...what's a digimon?...   
...how can I find out??... 
>>>> 
>>>> End Chapter Three


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter 1

> > > > Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or anything associated with it. That honor belongs to Toei Animation, Saban, and Fox. I'm just a fan who needs an outlet, so please don't sue me.   

>>>> 
>>>> Chapter Four: 
>>>> 
>>>> Marc Immiri stood outside after school the next day, watching the people file out of the building. He spotted Anni Kamiya, this time walking with Matt Ishida. She's sure not short on admirers, he thought as he spotted red-haired Izzy watching the pair walk by with a frown. Reaching into his pocket and feeling the weight of the strange device, he decided to go back to Izzy's house to do some more surveillance.   
He took a shortcut to the Izumi apartment and waited for Izzy to show up. Twenty minutes later, he decided that Izzy wasn't coming after all, and snuck in through the window once again. Stepping cautiously up to the computer, Marc reached into his other pocket and removed a different kind of device.   
He knew what this one did. He'd slipped the tiny cellular modem out of his father's office that morning. It had been a touch job, but he hoped it would pay off. He set it to dial his computer's modem and to send all data, audio, video, everything to his computer, all without leaving a trace on Izzy's laptop. He carefully snapped the device into place. Now he'd be able to find out what was going on...   

>>>> 
>>>> Izzy stood about half a block away from the Kamiya's apartment building. He gave a huge sigh as he watched Matt and Anni disappear into the building. But Matt reappeared a short time later, and Izzy's spirits rose. Maybe he would have a chance to spend some time with Anni today after all. He waited until Matt was out of sight and raced into the building, only stopping to catch his breath after he'd knocked on the apartment door.   
Anni answered. "Hi Izzy!" she smiled.   
"Hi Anni!" Izzy grinned, suddenly forgetting that he'd ever been upset. "Listen, my mom wants me to invite you over for dinner. I thought maybe we could go over to my house, catch up on things, maybe call Gennai..."   
"I'd love to," Anni replied. "Hold on just a sec." She ran back into the apartment, calling to her new mom. She came back with her jacket in hand, ready to go. 
>>>> 
>>>> Izzy looked at Anni's reflection in the screen on his laptop as she hovered over his shoulder while he typed. "It'll only be a second....there!"   
An image of Gennai's head popped up on the screen. "Uh, hello?" the old man asked. Then he saw who was on the other end. "Oh, Izzy, Anni! Hello kids!"   
"Hello, Gennai," Izzy said.   
Anni broke into a big smile. "Hi Dad!" she greeted him. "How's life in the Digital World?"   
"Oh!" Gennai exclaimed. "Have I got news for you, Anni-girl! I finally found out where you came from!" he proclaimed.   
Anni and Izzy looked at each other, eyes wide, jaws hanging open. This was a shock to them both. Anni had finally resolved herself to the fact that she'd never understand the mystery surrounding her birth, and Izzy, well, Izzy had just oriented himself to Anni's being in the real world at all.   
"What??" Anni gasped.   
"Where?" Izzy asked.   
Gennai chuckled. "Anni, my dear, you ARE where you came from."   
Anni's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What, do you mean..."   
Izzy finished for her. "You mean that Anni's from the real world?"   
"She is," Gennai said definitively.   
"But how..?" Anni seemed unable to finish a sentence.   
"All those years ago..." Gennai started. "The Evil forces in the Digiworld were starting to decipher the prophecy of the digidestined. And they were more than a little worried. They had a big meeting to decide what to do about this coming threat.   
"They decided to fight fire with fire. What they needed was an 'Anti-Digidestined' if you will, to fight the Digidestined on their own terms. They needed a human child.   
"Meanwhile, a young blonde woman in Japan was taking her baby out for a stroller ride. From an alley, Ogremon came up and snatched the little child from her stroller while the mother looked inside a store window.   
"When Ogremon got back to the Digital World, he had a hard time dealing with the little thing, and was all too happy when Leomon showed up and gave him an excuse to put down the child. The two fought, like they always do, and forgot all about the baby.   
"A travelling group of Koromons discovered the baby there, and took it back to their village. And then I came...and well, you know the rest of the story. The baby was you."   
There was a moment of silence. Anni appeared unable to move at all.   
Fascinated, Izzy asked, "How did you find out?"   
"After Anni came to me," Gennai explained, " I had my hands so full with child-raising that I had little time to delve into the mystery about her. It wasn't until she left that I started thinking of it again...I started asking around. I managed to coax the story out of Ogremon himself."   
Hesitantly, Anni spoke up. "And...what of my real parents?"   
Gennai sighed. "I don't know anything about them, Anni-girl. No one does. I wish I could tell you something."   
Izzy perked up. "I think I might be able to find something out!"   
"Good!" Gennai said. "Help her out in any way you can, Izzy. I have to go now." And with that, he disappeared.   
Izzy, in full computer-genius mode, pulled up another screen. "If we search all the news archives for kidnappings, in those years, a girl..." A file appeared on the screen.   
"There," Izzy proclaimed. "This must be it. Kay Elizabeth Tyler, that must be you." He continued reading. "Daughter of Arthur and Carole Tyler...Says you're from St. Louis, Missouri. You're American then...Born August 2nd, Disappeared the following March in Tokyo. Never found."   
Anni leaned over his shoulder and pointed at the screen. "There's a news article here," she said.   
Izzy clicked on the link and the headline pops up: 
>>>> 
>>>> TWO CAR CRASH KILLS FOUR 
>>>> 
>>>> "Among the casualties are Arthur and Carole Tyler, tourists from the US, who earlier that day had reported the disappearance of their infant daughter. Seven-month-old Kay Tyler has not been found..." 
>>>> 
>>>> Izzy gasped. Anni looked up at him. "What?" she asked.   
"That crash," Izzy breathed. My parents, my real parents, died in that crash."   
"Your parents?" Anni said in surprise.   
Izzy nodded. "I've seen this article before. My mom and dad showed it to me, after they told me I was adopted."   
There was an uncomfortable silence between them.   
"If you're Kay Tyler..." Izzy finally said.   
"Then that means..." Anni continued.   
"Your parents..."   
"Died in the same crash as yours..."   
"On the day you disappeared," Izzy finished.   
Izzy suddenly made a connection in his mind. He turned and looked at Anni with a cold stare.   
"I..." Anni started, then stopped as she noticed his glare. "Izzy, why are you looking at me like that?"   
"You're it then," Izzy said flatly.   
"I'm what?" Anni asked.   
"You're the reason my parents died."   
"What are you talking about?" Anni insisted. "I was less than a year old, I wasn't even there in the car! How could it be my fault?"   
"You were kidnapped," Izzy said cooly. "In a foreign country. I'll bet your parents were distraught, worried. They probably weren't thinking about anything but how much they wanted your little girl back. Your father shouldn't have been driving a car."   
"Izzy, stop it..." Anni said quietly.   
Izzy wasn't listening. "And so along comes the other car, with my parents. And CRASH!" He clapped his hands together, making Anni jump. "They're all dead."   
"This is insane," Anni shook her head.   
"And why are they dead?" Izzy continued unimpeded. "All because of one little girl. Kay Elizabeth Tyler." He pointed at Anni. "You."   
Anni looked angry now. "Are you saying that the crash was my fault? How can you say that? You don't know that myt parents caused that crash! For all either of us know, it could have been your parents that caused it. Your parents that kept my family from living long enough to find out I was still alive. That kept my from finding out what they were like. That took everything away from me."   
"Your parents kept me from growing up with a normal family," Izzy said darkly.   
Equally darkly, Anni replied. "Your parents kept me from having a family to come home to."   
"No," Izzy shook his head. "They died because of you, Kay."   
"Don't call me that," Anni gasped.   
"That's who you are."   
"No!" Anni insisted. "I'm Anni Kamiya, and I'm your friend."   
"You're Kay Tyler, and you're the reason my parents are dead."   
Anni reached out and slapped Izzy across the face. While Izzy is reeling from the blow, Anni stormed out of the room. Moments later, Izzy's mother pokes her head in the door.   
"Anni just left," she said, concerned. "Is everything ok?"   
"Just fine," Izzy said flatly.   
Izzy's mom sighed and left.   
As soon as Izzy was alone again, he angrily knocked a pile of stuff off his desk. Suddenly realizing that he'd left his Digivice in that stack, he got down on the floor to look for it. Not finding it on the floor, he searched in his desk. Not finding it there, he conducted a frantic search of his room, but came up empty.   
"It's gone!"   

>>>> 
>>>> Meanwhile, Marc had gathered all sorts of information from Izzy's computer during the conversation with Gennai. Crossing his fingers, he pulled up the connection information and put it through on his own line.   
After a few moments, the same old man that had been talking to Izzy appeared on Marc's computer screen.   
"Hello? Who are you?" the old mand asked.   
"That's not important," Marc said smugly, pulling out the device he'd stolen from Izzy. "What you can tell me about this, is important." 
>>>> 
>>>> End Chapter Four


	5. Chapter Five

Chapter 1

> > > > Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or anything associated with it. That honor belongs to Toei Animation, Saban, and Fox. I'm just a fan who needs an outlet, so please don't sue me. 
>>>> 
>>>> Chapter Five: 
>>>> 
>>>> "Where did you get that?" The old man who had identified himself as "Gennai" asked Marc insistently.   
"Doesn't matter," Marc said. "What is it?"   
"It's a Digivice," Gennai answered. "It helped a Digimon Digivolve."   
"You lost me at the word 'digi.'" Marc said.   
"There are monsters -Digimon- in the Digital World that need a digivice like that one to evolve," Gennai explained.   
"Digital World? Where Tai and his goonies went?"   
"The Digidestined were here, yes."   
"How do I get there?" Marc asked.   
"You don't."   
"Excuse me?" Marc said.   
"All the portals from my world to yours have been closed for nearly five weeks now, and will remain that way."   
"All those monsters around the city earlier...those were from your world?" Marc asked.   
"That is correct. The Digidestined had to fight many battles to keep them from destroying your world."   
"How did the monsters get here?"   
Gennai answered. "And evil Digimon named Myotismon built a portal to the real world to search for the eigth Digidestined child, and brought with him an army of darkness."   
"Eighth Digidestined?"   
"There were only seven in the beginning, and there should have been eight. Both the children and Myotismon went to the real world to seek her."   
"Was that Anni?" Marc asked.   
"No, Kari," Gennai replied.   
"That gate..." Marc thought for a moment. "Could it still be open?"   
Gennai was silent for a moment. "I don't know."   

>>>> 
>>>> The next day, Tai walked down the hall to his locker, and opened it up, same as usual. But this, a whole pile of books came crashing down onto his head. Tai heard laughter in the hall... 
>>>> 
>>>> A few minutes later, Matt was walking in another hallway when someone leapt out and threw blue paint from a bucket into his face. With the paint in his eyes, he couldn't see who did it... 
>>>> 
>>>> During Recess, T.K. and Kari were out, together as usual, sitting on the swings. Two older boys ran up to them and dumped them into the sand, kicking sand at them before running away... 
>>>> 
>>>> That afternoon, Tai called a meeting in the park. Eight of them sat in a circle under a tree, chatting with each other.   
Anni ran up to the circle. "Hey, don't start without me!" she called.   
"Sit down, Anni, we haven't started yet," Tai said to his sister.   
"Sorry, I'm late..." Anni said, looking around the circle. She threw a cold look at Izzy before sitting down next to Matt. Izzy gave the girl an equally cold look before turning his eyes back to his laptop screen.   
The exchange didn't escape Tai's eyes. It apparently didn't escape Sora's either, because she leaned over and asked him, "Why do Izzy and Anni look like they're going to kill each other?"   
Tai shook his head. "I don't know," he sighed. He looked over at his adopted sister, wondering what was wrong with her. "Anni came home really mad last night..."   
Tai was interrupted by Anni's loud gasp. "Matt, your face is blue!"   
Tai held up his hand. It was time to start the meeting anyways. "Ok, now, listen up," he began. "Someone is playing some nasty little tricks on us. Nearly everyone has had something done to them today, and it has to stop."   
Everyone nodded.   
"But what are we going to do, Tai?" Kari asked, looking at her big brother.   
"We don't even know who they are," Matt said, exasperated.   
"They're right, what can we do?" Joe added.   
"We all need to watch our backs," Tai said with decision. "And we need to watch out for each other too. So from now on, try not to be alone. Get a buddy, hang out in groups, whatever it takes. If we all keep an eye on each other, maybe we'll be able to find out who's doing this to us so we can do something about it."   
"Tai's right," Sora said. "We have to stay together."   
So in twos and threes they left the meeting, taking to heart Tai's advice. Izzy hung back.   
"Wait for me, Joe," he said. "I have to talk to Tai for a minute."   
Izzy went back to where Tai and Kari were still standing. "Tai, I need to talk to you for a minute," Izzy said.   
"What's up?" Tai asked.   
"My Digivice is missing. I can't find it anywhere. And considering the circumstances, I think it might have been stolen."   
"So why didn't you say anything about it before, at the meeting?" Tai asked him.   
"I...um..." Izzy fumbles.   
"Did what to look like an idiot in front of my sister?" Tai smirked.   
Izzy snorted and rolled his eyes. "Goodbye, Tai," he said, walking away. 
>>>> 
>>>> So Tai and Kari went home. Almost immediately, Kari went up to Anni. "Why are you and Izzy mad at each other?" she asked innocently.   
Tai looked up. He wanted to hear this.   
Anni sighed. "Let me show you something, Kari," she said, getting up and going to the computer. Tai followed them.   
Anni puched something up on the computer. First she showed them the Missing Person's Report for Kay Tyler.   
"What's that?" Kari asked.   
"That's me," Anni said simply.   
She punched a few more buttons and brought up another document. The article about the accident. "And this..." she whispered. "is why Izzy's so mad at me."   
"What?" Tai asked.   
Anni took a deep breath. My parents died in the same car crash as his. On the day I was taken to the Digital World. Izzy blames me for his parents' death."   
"Are you mad too Anni?"   
Anni shook her head. "I don't know, Kari...he said some very mean things to me yesterday..." 
>>>> 
>>>> At the end of school the next day, Tai tried to detain Anni in the hall.   
"Will you relax, Tai?" Anni laughed.   
"Anni..." Tai said.   
"Nothing's happened to anyone all day, Tai," she said.   
"But..."   
"You're paranoid," Anni insisted. "Look, Tai, I'm meeting Matt outside. I'm a big girl, I think I can make it out of the building by myself."   
Tai nodded reluctantly.   
"You don't have to play big brother to me, Tai. Now go get Kari, and take her home. I'll be fine."   

>>>> 
>>>> Meanwhile, in one of the classrooms, Matt found himself in a different kind of trouble. He had to stay after class with Mr. Giga.   
"You failed another test, Mr. Ishida," Mr. Giga chided him.   
"I know, but..." Matt started.   
"I'm not finished yet, Matt," the teacher went on. "You haven't been paying a lot of attention in class lately either. You've been preoccupied with something...or someone..."   
Matt was silent.   
"A girl, perhaps?" Mr. Giga said condescendingly. "They have a way of interfering with your schoolwork, don't they, Mr. Ishida?" 
>>>> 
>>>> End Chapter Five


	6. Chapter Six

Chapter 1

> > > > Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or anything associated with it. That honor belongs to Toei Animation, Saban, and Fox. I'm just a fan who needs an outlet, so please don't sue me. 
>>>> 
>>>> Chapter Six: 
>>>> 
>>>> Outside the school, Anni Kamiya stood alone under a tree, waiting for Matt to come for her. She glanced at her watch for the seventh time. I wonder what's keeping him, she thought.   
Four shadowed figures emereged from the shadows in the late afternoon sun and approached the girl. One of them clamped his hand over her mouth, and they quickly dragged her off. The kidnapping went unnoticed or ignored by the few remaining students on the school grounds.   

>>>> 
>>>> "Good work, boys," Marc congratulated the band when they brought an indignant Anni before him, tightly bound and sporting a strip of duct tape over her mouth. "But you didn't have to tie her up like an axe murderer or anything."   
He went up to Anni. "If I take this tape off, you have to promise not to scream. If you do, we'll just have to knock you out."   
Anni's blue eyes flashed with a resentful fire, but she nodded slowly. Marc carefully pulled the tape off her mouth, inwardly wishing that he didn't have to do this to the girl. He'd much rather have had Tai tied up at his feet. This girl, he kind of liked. But she had been the easiest one to catch, and they'd found her alone. And nothing was going to interfere with his plan.   
"Come on boys," Marc ordered. "We've got a bus to catch. We're going camping" 
>>>> 
>>>> Half an hour later, the rag-tag band got off their bus at what looked like a summer camp, now eerily deserted in the autumn season. The Digivice in Marc's pocket had started beeping. He took it out of his pocket and looked at it. A blue dot had appeared at the top of the screen and was blinking. He turned around, and the dot moved to the bottom of the screen.   
"I wonder," Marc thought aloud. Then, in a flash of decision, he grabbed Anni's hand, oriented himself so that the dot was at the top again, and took off in that direction. "This way," he ordered.   
The six of them marched out into the woods. The blue dot on the Digivice was blinking faster and faster as they moved, and the beeping sound was becoming more frequent.   
Stepping off the trail into the deep woods, they came into a clearing with a giant boulder in the middle. The rock was easily 15 feet high and 25 feet wide. Marc and the others walked slowly around the rock. On the opposite side, the Digivice started to glow with a blinding light.   
When the light faded, the rock was still there, but the scenery had changed. Where the ordinary forest had been, now stood a tropical-looking rainforest of strange plants and trees. Marc didn't have to ask where they were. Anni's fasp told him all he needed to know. They were in the Digital World.   

>>>> 
>>>> Back at the school, Matt hurried out of the door, running to the place he was supposed to meet Anni. I wish I could have told her I was going to be so late! he thought to himself. He reached the tree but Anni was nowhere in sight.   
"Maybe she went home," Matt said aloud.   
He saw a boy standing around nearby. He had the look of someone who'd been loitering there for some time. So Matt went up to him.   
"Hey you there, I was supposed to meet a girl over by that tree. She's about this tall," Matt held a hand up to about his shoulder, "with kinda reddish hair. Did you see her?"   
"Yeah," the boy said.   
"Did you see if she left?" Matt asked.   
"A few guys came up and scared her. She probably left with them," the boy yawned.   
Matt swore under his breath and took off running. He reached the Kamiya apartment in record time, and nearly doubled over when Tai answered the door.   
"Matt!" Tai exclaimed. "What's wrong?"   
Matt gasped for air. "Do you....know where....Anni is?"   
Tai's eyes widened. "She was supposed to be with you! The only reason I left her alone was because she said you'd be there!"   
"I got kept after school," Matt explained. "And when I got out there, she was gone. And this kid said she left with some other guys. I think she's been kidnapped."   
"Must be our pranksters," Tai reasoned. "Come on in, Matt. We've got to call the others. This is serious now."   

>>>> 
>>>> "It's File Island," Anni said quietly, hardly daring to believe she was there. She only wished she could have been there under better circumstances.   
"Do you know your way around here?" Marc asked.   
Anni shook her head. "I didn't spend much time around here, except for when the Dark Masters messed with the landscape, and things have been destructed and reconstructed and reconfigured and..." She sighted.   
"Dark Masters? Reconfig...nevermind," Marc shook his head. He turned to Donny, one of the other boys. "Let's just find a place to camp out, ok boys?"   

>>>> 
>>>> The sun had already gone down when all eight Digidestined gatherered outside the Kamiya's apartment building. Tai was pacing back and forth on the sidewalk.   
"I'd invite you all in, but I can't have Mom and Dad finding out that I lost my sister..." he said wryly.   
"So what's going on?" T.K. asked.   
"Anni's been kidnapped," Matt said to his brother.   
"And we think it's by the same people playing those tricks on us," Tai added.   
"But why?" Mimi inquired.   
"There's got to be come connection," Izzy wondered.   
"Someone's singling us out for these nasty tricks," Sora said.   
"And my Digivice is missing..." Izzy continued.   
There was a long silence.   
Joe spoke up. "This may be a long shot..."   
Everyone stopped their ponderings and looked up at Joe.   
"Do you think maybe they're trying to get into the Digiworld?" Joe offered.   
"But how would they do that?" Izzy asked. "Gennai said the gate was closed."   
"Maybe there's another way in," Kari said quietly.   
"What makes you say that, Kari?" Tai asked of his little sister.   
"I don't know," Kari shrugged. "A feeling."   
"Well we all know about Kari's feelings..." Sora said seriously.   
Izzy whipped out his ever-present laptop. "Maybe we'd better get in touch with Gennai," he suggested. "See if he can tell us anything."   

>>>> 
>>>> Marc sat in front of the pitiful little campfire he'd built, poking the flames with a stick. The others, including the captive girl, were sleeping now.   
Maybe we should try to find this Gennai first, he thought to himself. Or some Digimon allies. Oh I don't know...what am I even doing here?   
The Digivice in Marc's pocket started beeping yet again. Curious, he looks at it and sees another blue dot that he takes to the the position of...something or other. A red dot marked his own position. With his usual reckless abandon, he got up to investigate, using the Digivice as a guide. After a few minutes, he saw flashlight beams in the distance. As he got closer, he could hear voices spekaing softly.   
Oh great, Marc thought. The society of losers has decided to crash my party. 
>>>> 
>>>> End Chapter Six


	7. Chapter Seven

Chapter 1

> > > > Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or anything associated with it. That honor belongs to Toei Animation, Saban, and Fox. I'm just a fan who needs an outlet, so please don't sue me. 
>>>> 
>>>> Chapter Seven: 
>>>> 
>>>> "Are we really back?" Tai looked around in amazement. It sure looked like the Digiworld. Felt like the Digiworld. But after a month back in the real world, believing that he'd never be able to come back to this place, it was strange to finally be there.   
By then, Izzy had already taken out his laptop and started tapping away at the keyboard. "Yep," he replied unnecessarily to Tai's question. "This is most definitely the Digital World."   
"Wow!" Mimi marveld. "I never thought we'd be back. It's almost like a dream!"   
"Hey!" T.K. said brightly. "I wonder if Patamon's around here somewhere. T.K. started to take off, but Kari stopped him.   
"Wait, T.K!" she said. "We're on a mission, remember?"   
"Oh, yeah. Right," T.K. stopped. "We've got to find Izzy's Digivice. And your sister too."   
"We've got to find those kids and teach them not to mess around in the Digiworld," Tai said with determination.   
"Just great," Joe muttered to himself. "We're going to get ourselves into another mess..."   
"How are we going to find them, Tai?" Sora asked.   
Tai pulled out his digivice. "Well," he answered. "All we can do is walk, and hope that one of our digivices picks up the signal from Izzy's.   
"Right," Izzy echoed. "Gennai said that he didn't know where they were hiding, only that they had entered the Digiworld, and they did come in through this gate.   
"So which way do we go?" Matt asked.   
Tai thought for a moment, then pointed to the trees. "That way."   
And so they walked.....and walked.....and walked....and found nothing.   
"I'm so tired!" Mimi whined.   
"I know, Mimi," Sora said. "We're all tired. Maybe we should stop, Tai."   
Tai halted at the front. "You're right, Sora. We'll stop here for a little while and then move on again." He sat down at the base of a tree and closed his eyes.   
After just a moment, Kari came up and tugged on his shirt. "Hey Tai?"   
"What is it, Kari?" Tai didn't open his eyes.   
"Where's T.K.?" Kari asked.   
At that, Tai's eyes snapped open. He saw Matt looking wildly around. The two boys looked at each other in panic. T.K. was nowhere to be seen. 
>>>> 
>>>> T.K. had been walking behind the others when he heard a flapping noise from behind some bushes. "Patamon?" he asked quizzically, and turned off the path to investigate. As he approached the bushes, the sound stopped.   
T.K. frowned and prepared to go back to the path. But then he heard the noise again, from a tree, a little ways off. Curiousity piqued, he followed it. The sound kept jumping from tree to tree as T.K. unwittingly wandered deep into the forest.   
Suddenly, he heard the flapping sound right above his head. He looked quickly up, only to discover the source of the noise was just a spastically flapping bird. Disappointed, he turned around in a circle, trying to find the path that his friends had taken. 
>>>> 
>>>> Tai put his hand to his forehead. Everything was falling apart. First Izzy's digivice. Then Anni. And the bunch of troublemakers in the Digiworld. And now T.K. was missing. What else bad could happen?   
"Well if it isn't the great Tai Kamiya," a voice said out of the darkness.   
Tai snapped his head up. "Who's there?"   
"And the rest of the Loser's Society as well," the voice commented.   
"Show yourself already!" Matt snapped.   
Marc Immiri stepped out into the beam of Tai's flashlight.   
"Marc! It's you who's been making all this trouble!" Tai glared at him.   
"Naturally," Marc looked smug.   
"What do you want?" Tai growled.   
"To see the great Tai Kamiya fall."   
"This is crazy!" Sora commented. "Marc, you have to stop this now!"   
"Yeah!" Kari chimed in. "Give me back my sister!"   
Marc just stood there and laughed.   
"We don't have time for this," Matt said, pushing past Marc. "I have to find my brother."   
"Where's Anni, Marc?" Tai demanded.   
"I'm not gonna tell you," Marc smirked.   
"Fine then," Tai said, fed up. "Matt, take Mimi and Joe and go look for T.K. Izzy, Sora, Kari, and I will go look for Anni." He walked up to Marc and grabbed the boy by the shirt collar. "And you..." he started, giving Marc a shake.   
Something fell off Marc and down to the ground. Izzy bent over and picked it up. "Hey! It's my digivice!"   
Tai let go of Marc. "If you're not going to help us, you can stay in the woods and see how well you navigate without a digivice."   
And with that, three groups split off into the forest. Matt, Mimi, and Joe took off in one direction, calling for T.K. Tai, Sora, Izzy, and Kari took off in another direction, hoping to trace back Marc's path to wherever Anni was. And Marc went off in a third direction, without Izzy's digivice, but still smug over his percieved victory. 
>>>> 
>>>> Tai led the way as well as he could, but the trail was faint and the sky too dark to see well enough to make a clear path visible. Before long, the tiny band was suffieciently lost.   
"I'm sorry guys," he admitted. "I don't know where we are..." He shined his flashlight in a circle around the clearing they had come to. And right into...a face?   
"Gatomon!" Kari exclaimed.   
"Kari!" the white cat ran up and jumped into the little girl's arms. "I'd hoped you were here!"   
"What do you mean by that?" Sora asked Gatomon.   
"I saw some other humans not too far from here. When I saw them, I thought maybe Kari had come too, and I came to look for her."   
"Other humans?" Tai gasped.   
"It must be Marc Immiri's gang," Izzy commented.   
"Can you show us where they are?" Kari asked her Digimon.   
"Sure!" Gatomon leaped down to the ground. "Follow me."   
They followed Gatomon to a small encampment. The last light of a dying campfire revealed several sleeping boys, in and out of the tents, but no Anni.   
Tai walked up and kicked one of the sleeping boys. "Hey, you!"   
Donny snorted and woke up. "Wha?"   
"Where's my sister?" Tai demanded, standing menacingly over him.   
"I-in the tent," Donny pointed shakily.   
"Try again. She's not there," Tai said impatiently.   
"She escaped? Oh, boy, is Marc going to let us have it!" 
>>>> 
>>>> T.K. wandered through the trees for what seemed like hours. Finally, he saw a landmark he recognized. "Hey!" he said to himself. "I'm almost to Primary Village! I should go there and maybe the others will come and find me!"   
T.K. took off with renewed hope...until he tripped over a lopsided orange rock.   
"Hey, watch where you're...T.K.?"   
That was no rock, that was Patamon!   
"Patamon?" T.K. said in wonder. "What are you doing here?"   
"I was trying to sleep!" Patamon replied. "What are you doing here?"   
"Trying to find my way to Primary Village," T.K. answered. "So I won't be so lost anymore."   
"Well, come on then!" Patamon said. "We'll go together."   
So Patamon and T.K. set off toward Primary Village. But as they approached it, they nearly stopped in their tracks. They heard Elecmon, and he was angry. And they heard another voice, too, shouting in pain. But instead of stopping, they ran up to see what was happening.   
They found an indeed angry Elecmon chasing around local Odaiba bully Marc Immiri. Every time the Digimon got close enough, he zapped Marc for all he was worth.   
"That'll teach you to come into my nursery and mess with my eggs!" Elecmon was shouting.   
"Wow, deja vu," T.K. said to Patamon.   
Elecmon zapped Marc one more time. The boy fell to the ground, gasping. Elecmon turned around with a snort, and saw T.K. and Patamon. "T.K! Patamon!" he exclaimed. "What are you doing here?" I just found this tresspasser here...   
At that moment, another human face appeared in Primary Village. Elecmon bristled, but T.K. held him back. "Wait!" he said. "She's a friend! That's Anni!" 
>>>> 
>>>> "T.K!!" Matt shouted into the darkness. He and Mimi and Joe had searched for a long time, but there was still no sign of his little brother.   
"Oh!" Mimi gasped. "It's dark, and I'm scared!"   
Instinctively, Matt reached out and took her hand in his own, squeezing her fingers to reassure the girl. "It'll be all right, Mimi."   
Suddenly, Matt heard someone calling his name. "T.K?" he cried, running of in search of the voice. As he got closer, he realized the voice wasn't his brother's it was Gabumon's. Finally catching up with his Digimon's voice, he ran up to Gabumon.   
"Matt!" Gabumon exclaimed.   
"Gabumon! Have you seen my brother?" Matt asked.   
Gabumon shook his head. "No, but someone else probably found him by now!"   
"Huh?" Joe asked.   
"Biyomon! Gomamon!" Gabumon called. "I've found some of them!"   
Biyomon and Gomamon came running over.   
"Gomamon!" Joe exclaimed happily.   
"Hey, it's Joe!" Gomamon cried. "Wow, you managed to survive without me?"   
"What's going on?" Mimi asked.   
"Well you see," Gabumon explained. "Biyomon, Gomamon, Tentomon, Agumon, Palmon, and I were all together. And we came across Anni in the forest. And we knew you'd all be here somewhere. So Tentomon went to take Anni to Primary Village. The rest of us split up to find you."   
"Is Sora with you?" Biyomon asked hopefully.   
"No," Joe answered. "She's with the others."   
"We were looking for T.K." Matt said.   
"He may already be there," Gabumon assured him. 
>>>> 
>>>> Following an energetic Agumon, Tai, Sora, Kari, Izzy, and the entire bunch of Marc's rather dimwitted cronies marched toward Primary Village. Palmon brought up the rear, to keep the "troublemakers" in line. Sora and Tai were walking hand in hand, and Kari stuck close to her big brother.   
From behind them, Izzy sighed. He was happy that Anni was safe and sound, but he couldn't help but remember the last time they'd been together. There had been so many angry words, so many accusations. Izzy wondered how he could have been so foolish as to blame her for the death of his parents. Kay Tyler or Anni Kamiya, it didn't make any difference to him anymore. He only wanted her by his side. But would she ever forgive him?   
The march went on. Soon, they had come to Primary Village, just as the other group arrived. Joe carried his lighthearted partner. Matt and Mimi arrived the same way Tai and Sora had -- hand in hand. Izzy smiled. It looked like Matt had discovered something in the woods other than trees and dirt.   
They spotted T.K. first. The little blonde kid ran out with shouted greetings to hug his brother, and then Kari. He then started into his story, of where he'd been, and how he got there. Sora and Biyomon were happily reunited, as were Mimi and Palmon.   
Izzy looked out in the direction T.K. had come from, and saw Anni coming cautiously down, followed by Tentomon. Suddenly, she broke out into a run, not stopping until she crashed into Izzy's arms. Izzy hugged her tightly. "I'm so sorry," they both said at the same time. Then they broke apart, giggling over their comical timing.   
Elecmon came down last, parading a slightly singed, exhausted Marc Immiri before him. Marc gave Tai a defeated look and sank to the ground beside his gang.   
"Hey, the sun's coming up!" Kari pointed out. And everything was getting brighter.   
"Great!" Tai said. "Now we'll be able to find our way back to the gate!"   
"The gate..." Izzy said. "Is it wise, or safe, to leave it open?"   
"After what happened already..." Matt trailed off.   
"That gate should not be left open. Think of how much more trouble could come about!" Joe said, wringing his hands.   
"Does that mean we have to blow it up?" T.K. asked.   
"I think the Digimon will have to destroy the gate once we're all through. Just to make sure nothing like this happens again," Tai decided.   
So the whole bunch hiked back up to the gate. After another round of tearful farewells,the humans stepped through the gate and back into the real world.   
"Now stand clear!" Tai ordered.   
And with a flash that rippled through to the real-world side, the gate was destroyed.   
Marc and his gang immediately took off, leaving the nine remaining kids sitting there, staring at the place where the gate used to be. They sat there for some time. Joe fell asleep with his head on his ever-present bag. Mimi fell asleep leaning against Matt. T.K. and Kari yawned at the same time, then curled up in the grass to take a nap of their own. Sora and Tai bent their heads together and whispered in low tones. Izzy reached out and squeezed Anni's hand. Their gate to the Digital World was gone again. But as far as Izzy was concerned, he'd brought the best part of the Digital World back with him. 
>>>> 
>>>> The End.


End file.
